"What about you?" we were both wrapped in a tartan blanket, sitting up. Leila smiles. "What about me?"
"Your past." I chime, looking down as she leans her head against mine. Leila shakily sighs. "My past is a long story." she scratches her temple bitterly. "If you feel like telling it – I'll listen all night." I inform her with a genuine laugh.
"Okay, well... All aspects of normal concluded when I was three. We were all living the best life; me, mum and dad. A stable home, a loving family, fun times. Then dad went to jail. Wrongly, of course. He was accused of thieving but he didn't do it. Apparently the night of the crime was on my birthday – but dad was with me celebrating.
"So, he went. Mum- mum crashed... It was so hard because I really just didn't understand what was happening. She put on a brave face but I just remember all the pill bottles and alcohol bottles and allsorts. That's all I can recall. Non-prescribed tablets and whatever alcohol that was around.
"When I was four – I noticed mum didn't pick me up from school so I walked home with my neighbours. I'll never forget the horror on my neighbour's face as she saw my garden full of police cars. That's another I'll never forget. The wail of the police sirens. Turns out – which I didn't know – my mum...-''
I pause, a single tear running down my face. "My mum committed suicide. So I was put into the care home and I've been there ever since. Well – I went to a mental hospital for a few weeks; but it was nothing."
"I-I'm really sorry, Leila." Chase shakes his head and kisses my temple. "I promise I'll always be here for you. Always."
"Don't worry, Chase. I'm fine."
He smiles. "You're such a brave girl." "When you grow up in a care home, brave is just nature." I explain. "You know of so many different stories and backgrounds and realise when there are multiple crap things happening you can't waste time being scared of what comes ahead. Because, thinking of all the kids' backgrounds – it could be anything."
Well said by the film Forrest Gump, life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna' get. I know I'm lucky to have snatched Chase from the box.
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YOU ARE READING
The Galaxy Meetings
Short Story"So how about, we meet up here every night - just you and me - on this hill." "I can't promise you anything; you could be an undercover mass murderer." "And you could fall to your death every time you walk; but you walk anyway." **** When a lost gi...
